Damage Inc.

iTrader: (7)

I have an electric autometer trans temp gauge and all was well until I dropped it off at a speed shop for a TCI flexplate install. The same shop installed the gauge primarliy and now it reads MAXED OUT! I told them to fix it and they said they didn't know anything about it and that they just unplugged it and plugged it back in. What do you guys think it is?

heyitsTaJay

the guage reads maxed out? i dont get it. your temps are really high?


J

Damage Inc.

iTrader: (7)

That's the thing. It never exceeded 140 degrees before and now when I start the car cold, the gauge goes from dead to MAX and stays there? What could be causing this? Thanks.

Brandon_TA

iTrader: (1)

Unplug It, And Clean Out The Connection, Maybe There Is Something In There Causing This.. Im Not An Expert Though..
Just Try The Easiest Things First, Also Check The WIres,a Nd Make Sure They Arent Cut, Or Damaged In Anyway.

SteveC

They probably broke the sending unit, or the wires are shorted somewhere.

JMHO

SteveC

Damage Inc.

iTrader: (7)

I'm going to check the connections. Shouldn't they deal with it though? I mean it was fine when I dropped off the car? Thanks.

Brandon_TA

iTrader: (1)

i would think so, if they keep giving you the run-around, then dont ever do business with them again, and tell everyone u know how shitty they were.

Naked AV

Sounds like a short, or a miswire. Could have fried the gauge.

01Blackerado

iTrader: (4)

Yeah id unplug it and try to make sure that niether connection ends have anything that is bridging the two connections together

Damage Inc.

iTrader: (7)

If the gauge was fried wouldn't it not work at all? I mean it goes all the way up when I start the car and falls flat when I kill it. How do I get the gauge out? Do I have to pull the pillar to get behind the gauge or can I just pop it out of the hole? Thanks.

Naked AV

The gauge could be bad in that as soon as voltage is applied, there is no resistance (or capacitance/inductance) and any amount of voltage/current pegs the meter. This could be due to bad componets in the meter itself. Much more likely is that it is miswired or there is a problem with the wiring harness. I would concentrate less on the gauge and more on the wiring. Once the wiring is eliminated as the source of problem, then look at the gauge, but I not before then.

Good luck.

01Blackerado

iTrader: (4)

Id say deal with the gauge first then the wiring only cause wiring takes alot more attention and care than just seeing if the guage is working properly then if it is then its no doubt that its the wiring!!! It would just take you hours to figure it all out if you did the wiring first and couldnt find anything wrong with them vs just pulling the gauge for five min and seeing if somehint isnt connected or whatever then move down to the source if not found. But however you do it is up to you and doing the wiring first ISNT a bad idea

Naked AV

Odds are against the gauge, simply because it is NOT dead, it is working (somewhat). It is likely the gauge is doing exactly what the wiring is telling it to do, which is peg. If the needle was not moving at all then I would gravitate more toward the gauge.

Regardless, I think it is the shop's responsibility to fix it!

Damage Inc.

iTrader: (7)

Right. Ok thanks. I'm going to trace the wiring tonight.

Z06 CU

Reverse the hot lead and the ground lead. Guage is reading backward. Sending unit wire is a single lead. If you power the sending lead, it will burn up the guage so don't put power on the sending lead.

Damage Inc.

iTrader: (7)

Um , I suck at this stuff but appreciate your help. Can you explain what I need to do? These are terms I'm familiar with: Behind the gauge, color of wire, and the wire on the pan... Ha. Please try to explain it to my novice ***. Thanks.

DeepBlueZ

i just installed one the other day. ill give u the EXACT connections i used for each wire...

(for this explanation, assume you're looking at the back of the gauge with it oriented so the light bulb is on top, 3 terminals underneath)

sender wire---left terminal, wired from sender in pan (actually i used the pressure test port on the side of the case rather than drill and tap a hole in the pan but thats irrelevant) through firewall directly to gauge. BE SURE NOT TO TOUCH THIS TERMINAL WITH A HOT POWER WIRE, YOU WILL TOAST THE GAUGE.

gauge power---right terminal, i wired it from the gauge to slot number 13 in the fusebox in the driver side of the dash, this is a 12V ignition switch and will have no power with the key off. i used a blade connector to hook the wire in.

gauge ground-- center terminal, i wired it from the gauge down to the bolt directly under the steering shaft behind the brake pedal

lighting power-- black light bulb wire, routed it down through the dash and removed the IP DIMMER fuse. then i twisted the wire onto the fuse contacts and replaced the fuse (wire and fuse sharing same terminal in fusebox)

lighting ground-- white wire, simply bridged it from the bulb to the gauge ground terminal since i had already run that to a ground. no need to run another wire.


hope this helps. good luck.